Explaining to a newbie how Contracted Scouts were nerfed

By zhentil, in X-Wing

Okay, i am not the greatest with words so if any of you can help me out here. We have a few new players who love to use Contracted scout BUT try and use them like they were before the soft Nerf. So i am trying to word right

1. How they worked before

2. How they work now.

1. R4 aggromech

2. R4 aggromech doesn't trigger off of deadeye anymore

2. R4 aggromech doesn't trigger off of deadeye anymore

Thanks for mentioning this, I didn't realize that card had been adjusted.

1. R4 aggromech

2. R4 aggromech doesn't trigger off of deadeye anymore

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2. R4 aggromech doesn't trigger off of deadeye anymore

Thanks for mentioning this, I didn't realize that card had been adjusted.

The card hasn't been adjusted. The new flowchart showing how combat works explicitly state that attacks needing tokens to trigger happen before there is a target which means R4 Aggromech can't be used to acquire a Target Lock when spending the Focus to shoot the Torpedoes through Deadeye.

basically the spending of the focus is what starts the attack, so the attack doesnt actually start until AFTER the focus has been spent. Thus, R4 Agro cannot trigger off of the spending of that focus token.

So do you not get a target lock at all now? Or do you get one, but too late to use it for the attack "this" round?

So do you not get a target lock at all now? Or do you get one, but too late to use it for the attack "this" round?

You don't get one at all.

So do you not get a target lock at all now? Or do you get one, but too late to use it for the attack "this" round?

If you spend the focus for deadeye (or blaster turret) you do not get a target lock. If you spend a focus to convert eyeball results you do get a target lock. It has to do with timing, there is no defender when a cost to attack is paid.

Basically now it is overclocked or bust

Overclocked plasmas are still very good on dice (not as good as aggro proton but eh) and still scary, big thong though is thry stress the asymetrical dial and the 2 sloop aint green

To be clear, all that was actually done was removal of a FAQ entry that explicitly ignored the timing rules.

Once the FAQ was removed, R4Agro didn't work any longer.

Unfortunately, it wasn't an actual nerf. In a few important ways, OCR4 is better than R4 Agromech.

Basically now it is overclocked or bust

Overclocked plasmas are still very good on dice (not as good as aggro proton but eh) and still scary, big thong though is thry stress the asymetrical dial and the 2 sloop aint green

Are you ok, Fickle? I think you had a stroke halfway through that sentence.

Basically now it is overclocked or bust

Overclocked plasmas are still very good on dice (not as good as aggro proton but eh) and still scary, big thong though is thry stress the asymetrical dial and the 2 sloop aint green

Dude, we don't want to hear about your big thong.

Basically now it is overclocked or bust

Overclocked plasmas are still very good on dice (not as good as aggro proton but eh) and still scary, big thong though is thry stress the asymetrical dial and the 2 sloop aint green

Are you ok, Fickle? I think you had a stroke halfway through that sentence.

Edited by ficklegreendice

Specifically, now JM15ks have to take OCR4 instead of R4. This is already a slight nerf for proton shots (since they came with a F->C modifier), it is not a nerf to plasma shots. However, you are now stressed, which means the lead JM5K can't do the 2 left Sloop to line up another R2 shot on the enemy. It is much harder to get 4+ torps off in the opening two rounds now.

OP: how are they using them that is incorrect?

Okay, i am not the greatest with words so if any of you can help me out here. We have a few new players who love to use Contracted scout BUT try and use them like they were before the soft Nerf. So i am trying to word right

1. How they worked before

2. How they work now.

What builds are they using?

So at first the dead eye ability allows you to spend a focus token instead of a target lock token. What makes this good for lower pilot skill pilots is that they on;y need an opposing ship in their firing arc not a ship with a matching target lock token.

Another problem with most torpedo/missile weapons is you also removing your ability to modify an attack. R4 Aggromech before the FAQ allowed you to turn the focus token you spent from deadeye into a target lock. So not only did you have the ease and accessibility of the focus token but you also had the accuracy of the target lock token. So all you had to do is to catch one ship in arc at the end of the combat round and then light them up.

So with the FAQ and timing windows it separate spending tokens for attacks for things like proton torpedoes and blaster turrets. That way abilities like Dark Curse doesn't prevent you from attacking (just modifying attack results). However that does mean the old Dead Eye R4 Agromech combo doesn't work as it used to. You could still try the combo but you will need an additional focus token from recon specialist and that can be blocked by Dark Curse. Also the target lock after a focus is spent isn't much better than just a target lock. Also the point cost means you have to drop a contracted scout for this build.

Still most people use R4 Overclocked. They can still gain a focus token immediately after they spend it. So after they fire a dead eye shot they get a focus token back to modify the results and it is way cheaper than Deadeye Recon R4-Agro combo.

Can someone explain what other cards were nerfed along with R4 agromech? From understanding Tactician is the other one (combo with TLT no more?)

Can someone explain what other cards were nerfed along with R4 agromech? From understanding Tactician is the other one (combo with TLT no more?)

This is EXACTLY what the last set of rule changes has done to this game. I use to tell people how simple the game was at its core. I can't say that any more. This whole new attack flow chart is just bonkers! I understand the changes, I even get why maybe they are "needed". What the changes hurt though was the straight forwardness of the game. I use to help people with rule problems by first telling them to read the card. That isn't effective in many cases anymore.

Actually I felt that the new timing chart made things simpler and more consistent. Previously it was a bit confusing how abiltiies that triggered after an attack (Gunner etc) interacted with multiple attacks (TLT, Clusters). Now everything is nice and consistent. Some cards got nerfed a bit but there were a few that gained as well such as TLT Ghost. Considering attacks to be atomic keeps things simpler IMHO.

ATOMIC ATTACKS!!!!

Will no one shed a tear for poor Kavil? He had to break up with his Blaster Turret/Aggromech combo and now he only gets 3 dice at range 2 out of arc. With a focus/TL thanks to Aggro still converting that focus during the attack. Oh the humanity!

Dark Curse falls but Winged Gundark got a boost! People use him, right?

Can someone explain what other cards were nerfed along with R4 agromech? From understanding Tactician is the other one (combo with TLT no more?)

This is EXACTLY what the last set of rule changes has done to this game. I use to tell people how simple the game was at its core. I can't say that any more. This whole new attack flow chart is just bonkers! I understand the changes, I even get why maybe they are "needed". What the changes hurt though was the straight forwardness of the game. I use to help people with rule problems by first telling them to read the card. That isn't effective in many cases anymore.

I hear you. I think tournament players appreciate the consistency of the new rules, but for an entry point it definitely is tougher. The list building aspect and working out those triggers prior to even putting the ships on the table is a big draw for some.

I will just say this, I've gone back to waves I - III and their fixes. I don't play tourneys and there is a ton of gameplay and whether through design or dumb luck, those first 3 waves are now tight:

X-Wing with IA fix is the rebel superiority fighter, green dice are much better in the early iteration.

Han with no C-3PO is still cool as hell, but he'll melt under pressure from a swarm.

Y-Wing can take the BTL title and Bomb Loadout. Stresshog with ion instead of TLT is still really cool.

A-Wing with refit and test pilot is zippy and fun

HWK is just a nice support ship, Jan and Roark really shine in the early waves.

TIE advanced his Darth with title and ATC

TIE Bombers can still take the MK upgrade and the shuttle title

Firespray is still beefy and the imperial large base assault ship

TIE Fighters are still efficient

The Shuttle can still bring some neat tricks to the party

The Interceptor the cheapest way to get 3 guns and 3 greens on the Imperial side.

I'm at a good point, I like what I have, I like the way it plays (soooo simple), and I don't have to houserule anything beyond the restricting ships. I've stepped off the treadmill recognized that between this and Heroes of Arturi I've got enough game to keep me happy for years. ;)

They weren't.

ATOMIC ATTACKS!!!!

Will no one shed a tear for poor Kavil? He had to break up with his Blaster Turret/Aggromech combo and now he only gets 3 dice at range 2 out of arc. With a focus/TL thanks to Aggro still converting that focus during the attack. Oh the humanity!

take revenge with Rage Unhinged TLT kavil, an accurate portrayal of his emotional state at the news of what befell his favorite suboptimal combo!

Nowadays you're gonna take Kavil for his EPT , slap the ABT and title on him and bring Fearlessness. 4+3 dice at range 1 , 2nd shot cannot be evaded. Together with a party bus you can punch through anything.